NIA arrests TMC councillor Shakir Ali in 2023 Rishra Ram Navami violence case

Kolkata: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested Shakir Ali, husband of former Trinamool Congress MP Aparupa Poddar and a Trinamool leader and councillor in Rishra Municipality, in connection with the 2023 Ram Navami violence in Hooghly district's Rishra, in which he was allegedly involved.

NIA officials, accompanied by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, reached Poddar's residence in Hooghly district on Tuesday. Raids and simultaneous questioning were carried out by the agency.

Six cases were registered in connection with the violence, including two related to incidents in Rishra, Hooghly district.


Shakir Ali, the councillor from Ward No. 8 of Rishra Municipality in Hooghly district, was arrested, sources said.

The case against Ali was registered in 2023 in connection with the Ram Navami violence in Rishra, along with five other related cases.

Poddar has been elected to the Lok Sabha twice on a Trinamool Congress ticket.

BJP chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, "The way Ali incited violence in Hooghly was known to everyone, and the incident was also videographed. The state government is doing its own work. I hope the people who earlier obstructed the NIA's investigation are also identified."

CBI arrests accused in post-poll violence case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested proclaimed offender Khalid-Uz-Zaman in connection with a post-poll violence case from the remote village of Yetala in Maharashtra. The accused had been absconding since the FIR was registered in 2021 and had never joined the investigation, the agency said in a statement.

"The CBI registered the case on September 1, 2021, in compliance with the Calcutta High Court's order dated August 19, 2021, by taking over Duttapukur Police Station FIR No. 286/2021 relating to the alleged killing of Hasnur Zaman on May 3, 2021, at North Kalsara village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. After investigation, the CBI filed charge sheets and supplementary charge sheets against 13 accused persons during 2021-22, including Khalid-Uz-Zaman," the agency said.

"The accused will be produced before the competent court at Dharmabad for transit remand. Subsequently, he will be brought to Kolkata and produced before the court of the Additional Sessions Judge at Barasat, West Bengal," the CBI said.